Mark 11:27-12:12
Read Mark 11:27-12:12
Helpful Background Information:
After cleansing the temple, Jesus returns to Jerusalem and begins teaching in the temple courts. This immediately draws the attention of the religious leaders (the chief priests, scribes, and elders) who ask Him a pointed question: “By what authority are you doing these things?” This was not an honest request for clarification. In the Jewish system, authority came from recognized teachers or official positions, and Jesus had neither. The leaders were threatened by Jesus’s actions and popularity, especially after He disrupted the temple’s corrupt practices. By questioning His authority publicly, they hoped to discredit Him in front of the people.
Jesus responds by asking a question of His own about John the Baptist. John had publicly affirmed Jesus as the Messiah, so answering honestly would force the leaders to confront the truth about Jesus. Instead, they refuse to answer. Jesus then tells the parable of the tenant farmers, which draws on Old Testament imagery where Israel is pictured as God’s vineyard (Isaiah 5). The servants represent the prophets, who were often rejected and mistreated, and the beloved son clearly represents Jesus Himself. The parable exposes the leaders’ history of rejecting God’s messengers and warns of coming judgment for rejecting God’s Son. Rather than repenting, the leaders respond with anger, confirming the very point Jesus was making.
Reflection Questions:
How can asking questions sometimes be a way to avoid the truth rather than seek it?
Where do you see that happening in this passage?
Where do you see that happening in your life?
It’s easy for us to focus on God’s judgment of the farmers in this passage. However, how does the parable show God’s patience toward His people?
The leaders knew the parable was about them. Why do you think conviction led them to anger instead of repentance? How can you guard against that reaction to conviction in your life?
If Jesus truly has authority over our lives, what areas are hardest for you to surrender to Him?